Three new citations posted to MSHA Enforcement Alerts Website

New citations have been posted to theMSHA Enforcement Alerts, which is maintained in partnership by the Illinois Association of Aggregates Producers and other Midwest aggregate associations.

Section: 56.14107a

Date: 06/27/2011

Negligence: Moderate

Condition: The existing guard for the overhead furnace fan in the breakroom building is not adequate to prevent contact with the fan blades. The existing guard has openings approximately 2 to 3 inches wide and 6 inches long. The fan is located on the back of the furnace approximately 75 inches above the floor.

The location of the furnace in the southeast corner of the breakroom and the location of the fan on the back side of the furnace make contact unlikely. This condition exposes miners to cuts, bruises, and/or broken bones associated with contacting the rotating fan blades. The condition was not open or obvious because of the location. The mine operator was unaware of the condition.

Action: The operator provided an adequate guard for the furnace fan in the breakroom.

Condition: The stop/brake lights provided on the Cat 988 F front end loader S/N 8YG are not functional at this time. The front end loader is operating in the pit area of the mine loading material into the primary crusher. Two other haul trucks are operating in the pit area to access loadout bins on the north side of the crushing plant. This exposes a person operating the other mobile equipment to the hazard of not being alerted to the front end loader stopping, causing a collision which could result in strain or sprain injuries.

Condition: The operator had an air pressure tank with a pressure gauge that was located along an air line past a gate valve. This gauge could not continuously give an accurate reading of the pressure within the tank should the gate valve be closed. At that point, when this gate valve is closed, the gauge would only be reading the pressure with the air line. A miner not knowing what the accurate air pressure is within the tank could have it rupture, resulting in lost work days or restricted duty-type injuries. Miners have an outside source check the air compressor unit for safety and did not notice the discrepancy.

Action: The operator placed a properly functioning gauge on the end of the tank, which will give continuously correct reading of the pressure within the unit.